The invention relates to a restraint module for a motor vehicle, comprising a compressed gas source and an elongated side-impact gas bag being in flow connection therewith, said side-impact gas bag being translatable by means of compressed gas from a collapsed condition arranged in an ejection channel into a deployed condition in which one longitudinal rim of the gas bag freely extends in the interior of the motor vehicle, each of both ends of this longitudinal rim of the gas bag being connectable to a vehicle-fixed tensioning point, and a tensioning device being provided cooperating with one of the ends of the longitudinal rim.
One such restraint module is known from the German Utility Model 297 16 573. The tensioning device serves to maintain the lower longitudinal rim of the gas bag, freely extending in the interior of the motor vehicle, in a tensioned condition, when the gas bag is deployed. This ensures that in the case of a side impact the gas bag continues to offer protection even when the compressed gas has partly escaped from the gas bag, for instance, due to a previous collision or in vehicle toppling which may result in multiple contact between the vehicle occupant and the gas bag.
In the case of the restraint module known from the utility model as cited above the tensioning device consists of a tension spring arranged between one of the ends of the longitudinal rim of the gas bag and a tensioning point on the vehicle. The drawback in this design is the low freedom of design as regards configuring the tensioning device since only little space is available at the intended mounting location, and, in addition, the risk of injury posed by this relatively heavy component being arranged in the interior of vehicle in a region in which the danger exists of the vehicle occupant being impinged thereby in a side-impact situation.
The invention provides a restraint module of the kind as cited above which, on the one hand, offers greater freedom of design in configuring the tensioning device and, on the other, eliminates the risk of injury possibly posed by the tensioning device. In accordance with the invention it is provided for in a restraint module of the kind as cited above, that the tensioning device is arranged on the ejection channel and is connected to the end of the longitudinal rim via a traction means which is deflected at a vehicle-fixed point. The tensioning device is thus arranged in a region which is located protected and not accessible behind the roof lining of the vehicle. In this region any suitable tensioning device may be arranged to then act on the gas bag via the traction means and tension the gas bag when required. An additional advantage of the configuration in accordance with the invention consists in that the compressed gas acting in the ejection channel for deploying the gas bag may be advantageously used to activate the tensioning device, thus making a separate device for activating the tensioning device no longer necessary.
Advantageous aspects of the invention read from the sub-claims.